Struggling for Control in the Mumbai War Zone

Since Wednesday evening, war has been raging in downtown Mumbai. Even as a number of hostages have been freed, ongoing violence has the population wary and afraid. And nobody knows how it will end.

In the southern part of India’s economic center Mumbai, heavily armed soldiers and police are standing on every corner. Sharpshooters can be seen on the roofs and helicopters circle overhead. The city quarter is called Colaba, and it is here, in the southernmost tip of the city, where attackers struck on Wednesday night. Since then, they have largely held the metropolis of 18 million in their sway. More than 140 people have lost their lives in the 10 coordinated attacks; more than 400 have been injured.